


Metaphorically Human

by HiroMyStory



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Angst, Challenge Response, Episode: s02e16 God Johnson, Existential Crisis, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Episode: s02e16 God Johnson, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-07 11:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19084207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HiroMyStory/pseuds/HiroMyStory
Summary: “I’m not the devil. I’m just a man who's delusional. I made it up. I made it all…up.”Chloe thought back to the early days of their partnership—and honestly various times since—when she’d just wanted him to be more normal. But this certainly wasn’t what she intended.My entry for the Lucifer Does Humanity Challenge.





	Metaphorically Human

**Author's Note:**

> This set of scenes was written way back the night this challenge was announced as it really caught my fancy. Disclaimer: I haven’t had a chance to come back to this since then, and I won't be able to do so until Trouble by Design is finished. Challenge: https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Lucifer_Does_Humanity

Westridge Canyon Psychiatric Hospital was in chaos following the arrest of Nurse Kipsy, but Chloe found her partner at last, on a gurney. A hospital employee in scrubs was tending to him as he muttered to himself.

“What’s wrong with him?” Chloe asked the attendant.

“It looks like Nurse Kipsy gave him an excessively high dose of Haldol.”

“The anti-psychotic?”

“Yes. He wasn’t prescribed it. Frankly, we’re not even sure how much she gave him. If he’d taken all she dispensed, he’d be dead. Thankfully, it appears she gave him considerably less. We’ll monitor him as he comes off it.”

“What? No, he’s not staying.”

“His 72-hour hold isn’t over, and we really can’t release him in this condition.”

“He’s a police consultant, and he was here undercover.”

The attendant pursed her lips. “You can talk to Dr. Garrity, but I really don’t think it’s a good idea until the drug clears his system.”

Chloe frowned. She didn’t want to ask anything of Dr. Garrity after their “date” that night, and the nurse was probably right. As many drugs as Lucifer did behind (and occasionally in front of) her back, she doubt prescription anti-psychotics were amongst them.

The attendant took pity on her. “I suppose you can stay, if you like. It’s going to be a long night for all of us getting this place back into normal order. I can put you and him in a private room.”

Chloe glanced over to where Lucifer was sitting with a dazed expression on his face staring at not much of anything. “Alright,” she agreed. “Thanks.”

About an hour later, they were settled. The formalities of Nurse Kipsy’s arrest were complete, and Chloe had made arrangements for Dan to watch Trixie. She also made sure she had the day off tomorrow.

Lucifer had remained worryingly quiet the entire time. When an orderly came to escort him inside, he didn’t resist at all. This was some powerful drug, and Chloe wasn’t regretting the decision to stay.

He was staring at nothing again.

“Hey,” she said. “How are you doing?”

“Ch-Chloe?” He seemed to have trouble focusing on her.

“Yeah, I’m here.” She put her hand on his, containing her surprise at his use of her given name. “How are you feeling?”

He shook his head like he was trying to clear it.

“What is it?”

The words were so quiet, she wasn’t sure she heard them at first. It was only when he repeated them that she really understood.

“I’m not the Devil. I made it all up." He seemed to get smaller as he said it.

She gasped. It was hard to imagine those words leaving his mouth.

“Lucifer,” she said. “We’ll get through this. The drug will wear off soon.”

“If I’m not the devil, I’m just human?” He sounded lost.

She did her best to reassure him. “Oh, Lucifer, you’re human with or without your devil persona. Everything’s going to be fine.” Her insides cramped at the idea of him without it, though. That was the Lucifer she knew. Did this drug’s effect mean he really was delusional, and not just playing at it and protecting himself with metaphors? Was she a bad friend if she wasn’t sure she wanted to see him “cured”?

He continued to look at her with those unfocused eyes. “Just human.”

“Everything’s going to be fine, Lucifer. I think it would be for the best if you got some sleep. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

He didn’t resist at all as she guided him down to the bed. “For the best,” she heard him repeat. “Just human.”

She stroked his hair. “Go to sleep, Lucifer. I’ll be here.”

* * *

Chloe woke up with a start when the door opened. Was it morning already? She’d fallen asleep in the chair with her head on Lucifer’s bed.

Dr. Garrity entered the room. Lucifer hadn’t woken up.

“Ah, sorry about last night, um,” Chloe offered.

He fixed her with a look that was anything but understanding, and Chloe felt her cheeks heat. “I’m going to wake him up and check on him.”

“Will the drug have worn off?”

“It’s possible it will be starting to, but it’s also possible it will affect him for another day. It can last up to 36 hours.”

“Does he have to stay?”

Dr. Garrity shook his head. “His hold is up, and any danger due to the uncertainty of the dosage should be past. Let me just do an exam. Mr. Morningstar, please wake up,” he said, shaking Lucifer’s shoulder gently.

He roused, but Chloe could tell he wasn’t entirely back to himself. His eyes lacked their usual sharpness, and he was far too docile when Dr. Garrity guided him to a sitting position. He should be whining and complaining and demanding to leave.

Dr. Garrity asked him a series of questions. Lucifer seemed to be oriented to time, place, and person, and Dr. Garrity nodded, satisfied. Chloe decided it would be best to just get him home if the doctor didn’t feel he was in any further danger.

“Undercover, huh. I don’t appreciate being deceived, nor the danger you put my patients in. Besides you would’ve presented a truly interesting case.” He cracked a smile. “Are you sure you don’t believe you’re the devil?”

Lucifer shook his head. “I’m not the Devil. I made it all up. I’m just human.”

Chloe gave him a hard look. With anybody else, she would think he was just telling the doctor what he wanted to hear. But Lucifer, she knew, didn’t lie.

He followed her to her car, a pace behind, still out of it. She wondered if she should stay with him, given Dr. Garrity was saying this could last as much as another day.

“Um, I can take you home, or you can come stay with me today. I need to be home with Trixie this evening.”

He blinked at her. “I’d rather stay with you.”

“Okay, that’s what we’ll do. Dr. Garrity said this would wear off by sometime tomorrow morning latest.”

“That’s good,” he agreed. It was several minutes into the ride when he spoke again. “It’s better this way, isn’t it?”

“Better what way?”

“Just being human.”

Chloe sighed. She was looking forward to him being back to normal when the drug wore off. She thought back to the early days of their partnership—and honestly various times since—when she’d just wanted him to be more _normal_. But this certainly wasn’t what she intended. On the other hand, who was she to decide what was best for him? If an anti-psychotic could cut through his delusions this effectively, perhaps he should be discussing medications with Linda. Just hopefully not one that left him so…not himself.

“Lucifer, I want whatever’s best for you.”

“Okay,” he agreed, smiling like a child. But then he frowned, his brow furrowing as if he was trying very hard to concentrate. “But it’s better for you though. If I’m not the Devil. We could…I would be…maybe…” He seemed to be having trouble finishing the thought, and Chloe sure wasn’t following. “It’s better,” he concluded with a firm nod of his head. “I’m glad I realized.”

* * *

The whole day was extremely weird. Lucifer seemed to swing between being tired and restless. Chloe was thankful he napped on the couch most of the afternoon. No devil comments, no jokes, no innuendos. It unnerved her. She told Trixie that Lucifer was unwell and to take it easy with him. After Trixie was settled in bed, Chloe took a seat on the couch next to him as he flipped through his phone.

“How are you doing?”

“Good,” he said and seemed more confident. “It’s strange, though. I feel like I’m coming out of a cloud.”

“The drug’s finally wearing off.”

“No, I don’t mean that. Although, yes, it is. I mean all the Devil stuff. It feels like waking up from a dream, but only sort of. It still feels real, but I know I’m awake now, if that makes sense?”

It did. So why did it make Chloe’s stomach sink so?

“You’re sure?”

He nodded. “I think I’m ready to be…less…metaphorical. You put up with a lot.”

This was just too much. “I wasn’t ‘putting up with’ anything. You’ve been a good partner.” She paused, thinking. “Would it be good to make an appointment with Linda?”

He tilted his head in a gesture that, to her relief, was familiar. “I’m…not sure. Our sessions are confusing. I’m not sure she was helping me.”

Chloe eyebrows flew up. This was the first she’d heard him express anything like that. She, at least, would like to talk to Linda. She had no idea if a single dose of an anti-psychotic should trigger this kind of reaction. She was, however, having to confront that she’d tended to take his Devil persona as more of a schtick, something he played, not a serious psychiatric illness. More and more, it was seeming that quite the opposite might be the case.


End file.
